Hexham

The story

1. Old English · derived fromhagosteald“owner of a fenced-in plot of land, one living in his lord's house, an unmarried man, bachelor, young warrior”
2. Old English · derived fromHagustaldes“Hagustald's”
3. Old English · inherited fromHagustaldeshām“Hexham”
4. Middle English · inherited fromHestaldesham
5. Middle English · inherited fromHexham
6. English todayHexham

From Middle English Hexham, a contraction of Middle English Hestaldesham, Exseldesham, Extoldesham, Hestalasham, Hestoldesham, all variants of Old English Hagustaldeshām (“Hexham”), from Old English Hagustaldes (“Hagustald's”, personal name), from Old English hagosteald (“owner of a fenced-in plot of land, one living in his lord's house, an unmarried man, bachelor, young warrior”) + hām (“home, village, farmstead”). Compare also Hagustaldesēa (“Hexham”, literally “Hagustald's Island”).